How Do Dental Implants Work?

Dental implants have two main parts: a titanium post that is secured to the jawbone and a porcelain tooth that is attached to it. Porcelain is an excellent material for the prosthetic tooth because it reflects light the same way as tooth enamel and can be easily matched to the color of your other teeth or partial dentures. Porcelain is a great choice for the artificial teeth used in crowns, dentures, and tooth implants, because it is even more durable than enamel, which helps your dental implants look new and attractive for even longer.

The Dental Implant Process:

First, the dentist makes a space for the tooth implant. Any trace of the old tooth root is removed, and the area is prepped and made ready for the tooth implant.

Next, the dentist places the tooth implant in the gum in the space previously occupied by the original tooth.

Over the next three to six months, the mouth around the tooth implant heals and the titanium in the tooth implant fuses with the jaw bone in a process called osseointegration.

Once the mouth has healed, the dentist attaches the abutment to the tooth implant, and attaches the porcelain crown directly to the abutment.

Dental implants can be a great alternative to dentures because the tooth implant actually fuses with the bone. They can also support partial dentures if a partial denture is already in place.

To find out if dental implants are right for you, if they can be a good alternative for dentures, or if they can support your partial dentures, call our Alexandria Virginia office today, or schedule an appointment.